HUMIRA. >>> IN A MOVE DEEMED CALAMOUS
FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE AND
RECKLESS FROM A POLITICAL
PERSPECTIVE FOR DONALD TRUMP,
THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY MOVING
U.S. TROOPS FROM SYRIA’S
NORTHERN BORDERS.
NORTHERN BORDERS. THAT EFFECT WILL BE TO ABANDON
OUR BEST AND CLOSEST ALLY IN THE
REGION THE KURDS AND TO ALLOW
FOR A TURKISH MILITARY
OPERATION, UNDOUBTEDLY
OPERATION, UNDOUBTEDLY STRENGTHENING THE HANDS OF THE
AMERICAN ADVERSARIES, ASSAD.
TURKEY CONSIDERS THE KURDISH
FORCES TO BE A TERRORIST
INSURGENCY.
INSURGENCY. BUT THE KURDISH FIGHTERS WHICH
ARE PART OF THE SYRIAN
DEMOCRATIC FORCES OR SDF HAVE
BEEN THE UNITED STATES MOST
RELIABLE PARTNER IN FIGHTING THE
ISLAMIC STATE IN A STRATEGIC
CORNER OF NORTHERN SYRIA.
HERE’S A FORMER NATIONAL
SECURITY OFFICIAL PUT THE
PRESIDENT’S DECISION TO CUT OFF
THE KURDS TELLING ME, QUOTE, YOU
DON’T COME BACK FROM THIS.
AMERICA DOESN’T COME BACK FROM
THIS.
THIS. ONCE THE IMAGES OF SLAUGHTERED
KURDS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE
BROADCAST AROUND THE WORLD,
ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
AMERICA CAN’T COME BACK FROM
THAT.
THAT. OUR WORD IS MEANINGLESS.
THIS OFFICIAL MAKING CLEAR THAT
THIS IS THE MOMENT FOR
REPUBLICANS WHO OBJECT TO THIS
POLICY TO SPEAK OUT.
THE CRISIS THREATENS TRUMP’S
POLITICAL FATE AS WELL.
ONE OF HIS TOP DEFENDERS IN THE
SENATE BLASTED THE PRESIDENT’S
DERELICTION OF DUTIES AND CALLED
OUT ONE OF THE PRESIDENT’S LIES.
>> ISIS IS NOT DEFEATED, MY
FRIEND.
FRIEND. THE BIGGEST LIE BEING TOLD BY
THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT ISIS IS
DEFEATED.
DEFEATED. THE CALIPHATE DESTROYED, BUT
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF
FIGHTERS --
FIGHTERS -- >> DOES THIS --
>> -- THIS IMPULSIVE DECISION BY
THE PRESIDENT HAS UNDONE ALL THE
GAINS WE HAVE MADE, THROWN THE
REGION INTO FURTHER CHAOS, IRAN
IS LICKING THEIR CHOPS.
IF I’M AN ISIS FIGHTER, I’VE GOT
A SECOND LEASE ON LIFE.
SO TO THOSE WHO THINK ISIS HAS
BEEN DEFEATED YOU WILL SOON SEE.
THIS TO ME IS JUST UNNERVING TO
ITS CORE.
ITS CORE. >> LINDSAY GRAHAM WASN’T ALONE.
FIVE OTHER REPUBLICAN SENATORS
HAVE SPOKEN OUT CALLING THE
DECISION, QUOTE, A GRAVE MISTAKE
AND SAYING IT POSES A
SIGNIFICANT THREAT.
SIGNIFICANT THREAT. SENATORS MITT ROMNEY AND CHRIS
MUST
MUST MURPHY WRITING IN A STATEMENT,
QUOTE, BARRING A REVERSAL OF
THIS DECISION THE ADMINISTRATION
MUST COME BEFORE THE SENATE
FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE AND
EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HOW BETRAYING AN ALLY AND
SEATING INFLUENCE TO TERRORISTS
AND ADVERSARIES IS NOT
DISASTROUS.
DISASTROUS. FORMER SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL
ENVOY FOR THE GLOBAL COALITION
TO DEFEAT ISIS WHO SERVED IN THE
OBAMA, BUSH, AND TRUMP
ADMINISTRATIONS.
ADMINISTRATIONS. YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR REACTION.
I’VE SEEN SOME OF IT ON TWITTER,
BUT TAKE US THROUGH IT.
>>.
>>. >> I WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO THIS
POLICY UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA AND
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. I PENT IS A LOT OF TIME ON THE
GROUND IN SYRIA.
AND WE BUILT THIS CAMPAIGN TO
ANSWER FOR THE CONCERN OF THE
COUNTRY ABOUT THESE FOREVER
WARS.
WARS. WE BUILT THIS IN A WAY THAT IS
VERY SMALL, VERY LIGHT IT.
>> RELIES ON FEW SPECIAL FORCES.
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND
U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL.
SO WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP IN ONE
FELL SWOOP AFTER TALKING TO A
FOREIGN LEADER BASICALLY NOT
ONLY SAYS, HEY, WE’RE GOING TO
LEAVE, BUT WE’RE GOING TO ALLOW
TURKEY TO COME IN AND FIGHT YOU
AND WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT
IT.
IT. HE CLEARLY DID NOT STAND UP TO
PRESIDENT ERGODAN AND UNDOES ALL
THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO SAYS IF
ISIS COMES BACK, WE CAN GO BACK
AND BLAST.
AND BLAST. THAT IS WHAT HE SAID ON TWITTER
TODAY.
TODAY. THAT IS SUCH AN IRRESPONSIBLE
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. WHO IS GOING TO GO BACK?
WE TOOK RACA WHICH WAS THE
HEADQUARTERS OF ISIS WHERE
THREATS WERE EMANATING AGAINST
US.
US. ISIS WAS TRYING TO PLAN A 9/11
ATTACK OUT OF RAQA.
WHO SUFFERED THOUSANDS OF
CASUALTIES AND WE DIDN’T LOSE A
SINGLE AMERICAN LIFE.
SO IF WE EVER HAD TO GO BACK AND
DO THIS AGAIN, IS PRESIDENT
TRUMP SAYING IT SHOULD BE
AMERICANS IN THE STREETS?
AND WHO IS GOING TO SIGN UP WITH
US TO DO THE FIGHTING?
SO IT’S VERY SERIOUS.
I THINK THE REACTION FROM
CONGRESS, SENATOR GRAHAM FOLLOWS
THESE ISSUES PRETTY CLOSELY.
I THINK WHAT HE SAID IS QUITE
APT.
APT. >> BRETT, YOU RESIGNED SHORTLY
AFTER FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY
MATTIS RESIGNED.
MATTIS RESIGNED. AND THIS DEBATE AND THIS SWERVE
IN POLICY FROM DONALD TRUMP FOR
PRECIPITOUS WITHDRAWAL FROM
SYRIA WAS ONE OF THE FACTORS, AS
I UNDERSTOOD IT.
DOES MATTIS HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAYBE TRY TO
REDIRECT THE PRESIDENT ON THIS
BY SPEAKING OUT EITHER PUBLICLY
OR PRIVATELY?
OR PRIVATELY? >> NICOLE, I CAN’T SPEAK FOR
SECRETARY MATTIS.
SECRETARY MATTIS. >> WOULD IT BE HELPFUL?
>> WELL, I THINK TRUMP’S HEARING
FROM EVERYBODY HERE.
I MEAN THERE’S A KARK OFFONY OF
VOICES.
VOICES. CACOPHONY.
CACOPHONY. WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND I SAW
THIS UP CLOSE AND EVERYBODY’S
SEEING IT NOW AGAIN IS THIS
TOTAL POLICY INCOHERENCE AND
IT’S NOT JUST SYRIA.
IT IS ABROS THE BOARD.
WE HAVE THESE MAXIMUM FOREIGN I
IRAN OR SYRIA OR VENEZUELA WHERE
RESOURCES THAT ARE NOT UP TO THE
JOB OF TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT
THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE WANTS TO
ACCOMPLISH.
ACCOMPLISH. SO IN SYRIA THE ADMINISTRATION
IS ACTUALLY INCREASED THE
OBJECTIVES THAT WE ARE GOING TO
STAY IN SYRIA UNTIL IRAN LEAVES.
WE ARE GOING TO STAY IN SYRIA
UNTIL THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER.
BUT THE PRESIDENT THEN CUTS ALL
THE RESOURCES AND AFTER A CALL
FROM A FOREIGN LEADER COMPLETELY
REVERSES COURSE.
REVERSES COURSE. SO IT’S TOTAL INCOHERENCE.
AND THE ADMINISTRATION’S BEEN
LUCKY THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN
EXTERNALLY DIRECTED CRISIS,
NATIONAL SECURITY CRISIS.
BUT WE COULD VERY WELL FACE AN
ATTACK FROM ISIS, FROM AL QAEDA.
WE COULD FACE AN INCIDENT IN THE
STRAITS OF HORMUZ WITH IRAN ANY
TIME.
TIME. WE COULD FACE AN INCIDENT IN THE
SOUTH CHINA SEA WITH CHINA ANY
TIME.
TIME. THERE IS NOT A COHERENT NATIONAL
SECURITY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
IN PLACE.
IN PLACE. THAT IS VERY, VERY TROUBLING.
I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT MADE THIS
DECISION AGAIN WITH A SINGLE
PHONE CALL TO A FOREIGN LEADER,
PRESIDENT ERGODAN OF TURKEY
WITHOUT ANY CONSULTATION WITH
HIS MILITARY ADVISERS, WITH THE
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, THE
SECRETARY OF STATE.
SO WE’VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
BUT IT IS VERY, VERY TROUBLING.
AND AGAIN WE HAVE AMERICAN
PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND IN SYRIA
AT THIS HOUR ADVANCING A MISSION
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
AUTHORIZED.
AUTHORIZED. AND IN ONE FELL SWOOP HE
COMPLETELY REVERSES IT AND
BETRAYS THE ALLY ON THE GROUND
THAT ALLOWS OUR PERSONNEL TO BE
THERE TO LIVE SAFELY AND TO MAKE
SURE THAT ISIS CANNOT RESURGE.
>> I WANT TO JUST PRESS YOU ON
TWO THINGS YOU’VE JUST SAID.
AND THEN I WANT TO LET THE REST
OF THE TABLE GET IN ON THIS.
IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT YOU’RE
DESCRIBING IS SIMILAR TO WHAT A
FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY
OFFICIAL WHO SPENT TIME IN THE
OVAL OFFICE WITH REPUBLICAN AND
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS, AS YOU
DID.
DID. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT AMERICA CAN
COME BACK FROM THIS, WHAT YOU
JUST DESCRIBED IS BASICALLY
AMERICA BETRAYING ITS ALLIES,
GOING BACK ON ITS WORD.
DO YOU THINK AMERICA CAN COME
BACK FROM THIS OR DO YOU THINK
THAT THIS CREATES A VACUUM
FILLED BY AMERICAN ADVERSARIES
LIKE IRAN?
LIKE IRAN? >> IT INCREASES THE RISK AND IT
LIMITS OUR OPTIONS GOING
FORWARD.
FORWARD. THE VALUE, NICOLE, OF AN
AMERICAN HAND SHAKE, THE VALUE
OF A HAND SHAKE FROM THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, WHETHER IT’S
FROM THE PRESIDENT OR FROM
DIPLOMATS WHO ARE ALL OVER THE
WORLD TRYING TO ADVANCE U.S.
NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS, IS
IT DEPRECIATING BY THE WEEK.
NOBODY CAN BELIEVE ANYTHING WE
SAY.
SAY. SO IF WE HAD TO GO BACK AND
BLAST ISIS.
BLAST ISIS. >> AS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID,
WHO IS GOING TO SIGN UP WITH US.
WE HAVE A COALITION OF ALMOST 80
COUNTRIES THAT WAS BUILT UNDER
PRESIDENT OBAMA, CARRIED FORWARD
UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THIS MAJOR DECISION WAS TAKEN
WITHOUT ANY CONSULTATION AND
COALITION CAPITALS.
COALITION CAPITALS. >> I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT
YOU’RE SAYING I’M TRYING TO READ
BETWEEN THE LINES.
YOU SPEAK CAREFULLY AND I’M SURE
THAT’S WHY YOU HAD SUCH A LONG
AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN FOREIGN
POLICY AND DIPLOMACY.
BUT ARE THERE QUESTIONS IN YOUR
MIND ABOUT THIS PHONE CALL?
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY DONALD TRUMP’S
PHONE CALLS WITH FOREIGN LEADERS
ARE AT THE HEART OF HIS
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY IN THE
HOUSE.
HOUSE. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO
STAFFED THAT CALL, WHO WAS ON
THAT CALL AND WHAT WAS SAID ON
THAT CALL?
THAT CALL? >> WELL, SURE IT’S WEIRD.
HE TOTALLY REVERSED WHAT WAS A
VERY WELL ESTABLISHED POLICY
FROM THE NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM
WITHOUT ANY CONSULTATION.
SO I CAN’T REALLY SPEAK BEYOND
THAT.
THAT. IT’S STRANGE.
IT’S STRANGE. >> SHOULD THE WHITE HOUSE
RELEASE THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THAT
CALL WITH THE TURKS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY WAS
SAID?
SAID? >> YOU KNOW, NOT --
>> WHY NOT?
TRUMP DID IT IN A DAY LAST WEEK.
>> I WAS ON CALLS WITH PRESIDENT
ERGODAN AND PRESIDENT BUSH IN
THE OVAL OFFICE.
AND PRESIDENT ERGODAN WILL TALK
FOR A HALF AN HOUR.
AND WHAT PRESIDENT DON’T IN
THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS SAY, GOT
IT, I’VE TAKEN YOUR POINTS.
LET ME TALK, CONSULT WITH MY
TEAM, LET ME GET BACK TO YOU.
BUT HERE PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO
SAYS HE’S A TOUGH GUY APPARENTLY
JUST ROLLED OVER AND CAPITULATED
AND THEN THEY PUT OUT THIS
STATEMENT LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THAT
WAS REALLY NOT REVIEWED BY THE
NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AND
CAUGHT EVERYBODY TOTALLY BY
SURPRISE.
SURPRISE. SO IT’S STRANGE.
>> IT SOUNDS MORE THAN STRANGE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE HE LISTENED.
DONALD TRUMP CAN BE A FUSILAD
HIMSELF ON PHONE CALLS.
BUT DO YOU THINK IT’S WORTH
UNDERSTANDING AND INVESTIGATING
AND SHARING A TRANSCRIPT WITH
WHAT WENT ON, ON THAT CALL SINCE
AFTER HE HUNG UP POLICY WAS MADE
THAT MAY LEAVE AMERICA’S CLOSEST
ALLIES IN THE REGIONS LIVES ON
THE LINE?
THE LINE? >> I THINK CONGRESS, THE FOREIGN
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HAVE EVERY
RIGHT TO CALL ADVISERS UP AND
FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
HERE.
HERE. I AM CAREFUL, HAVING SERVED
THREE PRESIDENTS ABOUT RELEASING
TRANSCRIPTS BETWEEN HEADS OF
STATE.
STATE. THAT IS QUITE AN EXTREME THING.
SO I DOUBT WE’LL SEE THIS
TRANSCRIPT.
TRANSCRIPT. BUT IT IS GOOD TO KNOW, IT’D BE
GOOD TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED HERE.
HAPPENED HERE. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
WAS THE PRESIDENT TOTALLY
UNPREPARED FOR THIS CALL?
HOW DID HE MAKE THESE
COMMITMENTS?
COMMITMENTS? AND THEN HOW DID THE WHITE HOUSE
PUT OUT A POLICY STATEMENT LATE
LAST NIGHT WITHOUT ANY
DELIBERATION OR CONSULTATION?
THESE ARE MATTERS OF WAR AND